Soap press



R. A. JONE'S SOAP PRESS Feb. 3, 1942.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 21; 1959 IN VENT OR ATTORNEY R. A. JONES Feb. 3, 1942.

SOAP PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1939 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

J I I I I ZZZ/24$:

llm ll R. A. JONES Feb. 3, 1942.

SOAP PRESS Filed Sept. 21, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. mm

ATTORNEY VIII/I Patented Feb. 3, 1942' g This inuention relates to improvements in presses, particularly applicable for compressing and: shaping a tubular or cellular soap blank to produce a cake or tablet which will float in water. i I

invention is a continuation in part of the applicationfiled by me February 20; 1936, Serial Number 64,927.

An object of the invention isto provide a press for formingbuoyantcakes ct soap having the outward appearance of ordinary solid cakes, each from a blank having one or more channels there through or cavities therein open to one or more ends or sides of the blank. The press initiallycompresses the endsor' sides of the blank within a mold box to close thechannels'or cavities and shape the endsand subsequentlycompressing the body while the ends-or sides are held under'comtherethrough or cavities pressed into opposite Figures 6 and "Tare sectionalgviews similar to Figure '5, vertically through the diesand-die block; showing the parts .at relatively different stages of operation and the toggle connection for moving the" lowerdieso Figure 8 .is' a section takenverticallythrough the dies and die block; similar to- Eig-ure '7, but showing a modified arrangement of the same. I The press is particularly applicable for, pro

: ducing 'hol low -or cellular cakes of soap from blanks ateith-er asingle or plurality of passages endsthereof; The passages or cavitiesmay be pression to externally shapethebody of the cake or tablet or impress markings or design configurations in the face or panel-surfaces of the body;

Another object of the invention 'i's to provide "a cavity'or recess in one or more of -the"wa11sof a mold boxof a soap press for expressing soap therein while compressing-a cake blank to close the open ends of channels or cavities in the blank toproducea buoyant-cake, for respread into and over the surfaces from which .it extrudes .w'hile discharging the cake from the mold ordie box to seal the channel or cavity closure formed by compressing the blank.

Anotherobject ofthe invention :is toprovide a each press for forming hollow cakes of soap,

froma blank having one or more apertures or channels extending therethrough from opposite ends to simultaneously compress the opposite endsof the blank within a die box to close and seal the apertures and channels and shape the.

ends. By virtue of the hollow construction and manner of compressing, cakesfcapable of floating in water, can be produced from 'a milled soap, for general toilet use' and cakes of a reduced quantity of soap'and increased size for'individual service as-for guests; hotels, and the like.

Another object of the invention -is to provide a press with a plurality of plungers-differentially operable from a single crank.

Various otherfeaturesand advantages of the invention will be more fully-set forth in a descriptionof the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the press. vFigure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure2. Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, Figure 1.

- vFigure 5 is a section on- 1 ine'-5--5,"Figure '4.

of various outline in cross section, as rectangular,

1 managers; so that the proper distribution of *materi-al is obtained to'give the cake sufficient Inec'hanical resistance against being crushed in der ordinary usage. -.The Soap blank may be formed: of vvarious methods, although preferably, by extrusion, as through a plodder havingiits delivery iend provided with afdiethrough which the soap is. forced, producing a continuous tubular bar. The baris cut into cake size blanks, 'andithe cakes are appropriately. placedjinto a mold or a die box'of the press, wherein the ends are compressed to close the passage or cavities'andjthebody to its corn mercial shape. I v Referring to the drawings, u;lj indicates the frame of thepress, havingavertical column 2 extending upwardly from the rear side of the 7 frame. The frame in certain detail corresponds and .isdof a character. offpressshownand described in LettersPatent issued tome, AprilJ-24;

1924, No- 3 3..P v din reasi ec p cable plungers respectively moving inslides car ried, by the vertical bar. The plungers are actuatedby a toggle mechanism coupled together bya tie, rod or connecting linkas featured in theaforee said. patent. .The'pressrtherefore, for con-' venience zof illustration,ldoesjnot include mechanismufor consecutively feeding thelsoapblanks for successive deposit within an aperture 'of a rotative die box 3, supported onv the top or table portion of-the framel, andextending within a crotch or throat 1 formed in the-forwardside'of the'co'lumn for receiving and conveying from the press the finished ejected cakes-of soap. Nor is the mechanism for intermittently or periodically rotating the die box disclosed, and'reference'may be had to the aforesaidpa-tent for the detailed structure and method otOperationo-f the parts omitted herein for a more full and complete disclosure-ian'd understanding thereof. E The omitted parts do not form a part of the present invention.

A series of upper plungers 4, 5, and 6, in an adjoining order or arrangement, are slidably and guidingly sustained by and traverse through an upper slide box or bracket 8 fixed to the column 2 above the upper end of the crotch or throat I in the column. correspondingly, a series of lower plungers 4a, 5a, and 6a, as a duplication of the upper plungers, are slidably and guidingly sustained by and traverse through a slide box or bracket 9 fixed to the column below the lower end of the crotch or throat I. Each of the plungers respectively removably carries an appropriate soap cake pressing die. The outer plungers of both the upper and lower series operate upon the respective opposite ends of the blank and move in unison independently of the intermediate plunger of the upper and lower series, the function of which will be hereinafter explained. The upper and lower series of plungers are of duplicate construction and in a compression stroke move toward each other, their dies engaging within an aperture or receptacle of the die box in registry therewith for compressing and shaping the soap cake deposited therebetween to its commercial shape.

The upper plungers connect to a bell crank lever I9 pivotally mounted upon a rod II supported in the upper end of the column. The bell crank lever I has a pair of spaced aligned arms I2, I2, each pivotally connecting respectively with one end of a link I3, the opposite ends of the links I3 pivotally connecting with a cross bar I4, thereby providing a saddle to which the upper end of the outside plungers 4, 4, are pivotally connected.

A second arm I is provided intermediate of and slightly askew or at an angle to the companion arms I2, I2, to obtain a trailing action with respect to the arms I2, I2, when the lever is moving in a forward direction for imparting a downward stroke to the plungers, adapting the outside plungers to complete a compression stroke in advance of the intermediate plunger. The intermediate plunger 6 connects with the lever arm I5 through a yielding or stroke compensating link comprising a link element I6 pivotally connecting with the lever arm I5, and has a stem or rod extension II slidably engaging and connecting with a link element I8 pivotally connected to the upper end of the intermediate plunger 6.

A coil spring I9 is engaged about the stem I'I, its opposite ends respectively bearing against the shouldered ends of the link elements I6 and I8 to accommodate or take up any excess motion, or for imparting any undue pressure upon the cake when the toggle of the outside plungers reaches or is in its dead central position. The links I3 are also of retractable or stroke compensating type to avoid injury when the dies of the plungers come into contact with opposing dies or stops. The dies of the outside plungers, upper and lower, are set to come into intimate contact with each other when the toggle mechanism reaches or is in its dead central position.

The toggle mechanism for actuating the lower series of plungers 4a, 5a, and 6a corresponds to and is the duplicate of the toggle mechanism for the upper plungers, the respective links for said lower plungers connecting with a bell crank lever 20 pivotally mounted upon a rod 2I supported within brackets 22 fixed to the rear side of the press frame I,

The upper bell crank lever III has a rearwardly extending arm 23 pivotally connecting with one end of an extensible connecting or pitman link 24, the opposite end of said link or pitman 24 pivotally connecting with an arm 25 of the lower bell crank lever 29, thereby connecting the toggle mechanism of both the upper and lower series of plungers for unitary transmission coupling.

The lower bell crank lever 20 has a downwardly projecting arm 26 which pivotally connects with one end of a crank connecting link 21, the opposite end of said link 21 pivotally connecting with a crank pin laterally extending from one side of a crank wheel 28 fixed upon a shaft 29 suitably journalled in bearings mounted within the press frame I. The shaft 29, at one end, carries a clutch controlled pulley 30 for rotating the shaft 29 and controlling its rotation.

The rotatable die box 3, as in said prior patent, provides a plurality of soap receiving receptacles or apertures 3|, each in a. cycle of the box adapted to be successively brought into registration with the dies of the upper and lower plungers for operation upon and compression of the soap cake blank contained therein to form the same into its commercial shape. The die box is intermittently rotated in proper timed relation to the motions of the plungers so that one receptacle of the die box is in a position to receive a cake blank, a second for operating upon the cake blank therein, and a third away, from the plungers for ejecting the finished commercial cake from the die box and conveying the same therefrom, as to a station for packing.

For making a hollow or cellular soap cake of a siZe which maybe designated as a guest or hotel size, the opposing dies for closing the opposite open ends of the passage extending through the blank meet or contact approximately centrally of the die box as is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. In an operation of the press, a blank is appropriately deposited into an aperture 3| of the die box, within which the blank preferably snugly fits, so that the opposite open ends of the passage extending through the blank are closedby the dies of the opposing plungers 4, 4a, and 5, 5a. I

. The dies of these-plungers are of a design to provide an outer plane surfaced portion for con tact with its opposing dies, and an inner portion curved or tapered for producing the desired end contour or shape of the cake after closing the open ends of the passage or cavities extending inward from the end of-the blank.

The closing in of the open ends of the blank is preferably accomplished by first pressing the walls together, then upsetting or crowding the material inwardly or forcing the same axially of the cake, to make a sealing joint or closure which is capable of preventing the admission of water into the hollow space of cells when the soap cake is immersed in Water. A floating or buoyant soap cake is thus produced.

It will be observed from an examination of.

Figures 6 and 7 that as the dies of the outside plungers 4, 4a, and 5, 5a, move simultaneously within the mold box until the opposing dies come into intimate or abutting contact with each other, the outer walls of the dies are in sliding contact with the adjoining walls of the aperture of the die box, preventing any outward escape or protrusion of the material as the opposing dies are brought'together. As these dies of the upper and lower plungers approach each other within the die box, the walls of the cake section are compressed laterally until the material thereof fills the space b'etween the dies,- whereupon the material is compressed axially and inwardly of the cake section, appropriately shaping the external surface thereof.

It has been experienced withithe use of a milled soap and the' tube section produced by extrusion through a die, (particularly when the material is of sufficient solidity so that its walls eflicient construction for obtaining the relative differential operation of the plungers in a crank oscillation.

will not collapse or its extruded form be injured when cutting the same into tube or soap length sections), that the surfaces of the material when brought together donot fully unite or adhere and will readily separate at a line of juncture. The juncture tends to open up under a retraction or shrinkage of the material in a hollow structure as it dries and hardens. By forcing the 'mate-f rial inwardly or axially of the tube section in closing the apertures or passages, the wall formed thereby is materially thickened and the juncture of the material assumes a wavy or ir-' regular line, thereby forming a union offering a suflicient seal against the admission of water. Any moisture that may be received in the joint will readily take up soap'and form a seal against further admission of water or moisture so that the buoyancy of the soap is not destroyed.

By increasingthe wall thickness for the lon- In producing a buoyant cake of a size for general toilet use without a reduction in quantity or weight of soap from theprevailingfstandards to that of solid cakes, the state of hollowness is ,reduced to aminimum, and merely sufiicient j to produce afull cake ofa specific gravity'to be sustained by and float in water, as its tendency to float is increased as-the' size and weight is i reduced by'wear. In such instances, due to the heavy wall thickness of the blank, the outer plungers'in a compressionstroke are not moved to bring the "opposing dies in, contact, but merely passage or "cavities.v

to a degree to amply close, the open ends of the The innersides of the opposing end wallsv of v the aperture 3| in the die box, each is provided with'a recess or cavity 32 for receiving and ex-' pressing soap therein in the form of a bead 33,-

gitudinal ends or edges of the cake over that of.

the opposite face sides'thereof thecake is g'iven sufficient stability to' be handled without breaking, as well as offering more material where the wear is more severe.

The increased size of cake,v

made possible through itshollow or cellular structure, is of advantage to the user. An ex tremely light-weight cake with a minimum but ample amount of soap and increased size is;fur-' nished for the definite uses for which it is contemplated. I

In the process of molding in the press, the

plungers 4, 4a, and 5, 5a, have a lesser degree of as shown;in Figure 8, while compressing the opposite ends of theblank for closing the pas- T sage, and longitudinally'of the sealing joint formed the ends ofthe cake to provide a supply of soap for resp'read over theclosure joint and-end of the cake upon ejecting the cake from' the blank confining aperture 3I-fof the diebox. This improves the surfacefinishfof the opposite ends of the cake and avoids any opening of the joints andleakage due to the drying out of the cake before use.

The operation of the press is substantially the same as, heretofore explained, excepting that outside or cake end forming dies, and theirldO movement than the opposing intermediate dies and plungers 6, 6a. Due to the relative trailing or offset connecting with-the crank lever, the

outside plungers, therefore, come to rest with their dies within the die box and in intimate or abutting contact, at which time the toggles for the outside plungers are in a dead central mediate opposing plungers 6 and to come to position, or approximately so, before the intertheir limit of compression stroke, as shown -in- Figure '7, for appropriately shaping the body walls of the cake and impressing therein any configuration, design or marks while the outside dies are atrest, so that the soap material is,

confined and intact between the dies and walls of the die box to give the cake its commercial shape.

The reciprocable links, which connect the plungers with the crank, compensate for any excess motion imparted by the crank when the outside plungers meet or any of theplungerscome in contact with. a .stop or abutment to arrest and limit the stroke thereof. This avoids injury to the parts and delicate regulation thereof.

Connecting a plurality of plungers in tandem the end plungers in their compression stroke, do not-bring the opposing dies in contact for'clos 1 ing the passage or cavities, and shaping the ope 7 positexcorners of the ends of the cake.

Havingdescribed my invention, I claim:

A press for forming a buoyant soap cake from; a blank having openings in the opposite ends thereof, comprising: a frame, a die box provided of a pair of companion plungers to simultaneously compressthe respective opposite ends of the blank to close the opening and shape the ends of the blank, and an] intermediate plunger to compress and shape the body portionof the blank between said pair of end plungers, a crank respectively for actuating each group of plungers having the pair. of end plungers connected there-,

I with in parallelism to operate in unison, and the intermediate plunger in a'staggered trailing relation to' said pairlof end plungers, means formoving the cranks in an arc of movement to and from' a dead center position to move the end" plungers inadvance of the intermediate plungers to a single crank produces a very simpleand to compress the opposite endsof the blank prior.

to compressingthebody portion'and confine the compressed ends =while subsequently compressing the body portion, and means for connecting the cranks for unitary actuation.

RLUEIYJYA. .roNEs; 

